Fairy Tales of the Old Republic
by Mataras
Summary: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... A young Padawan wanted nothing more than to become a Jedi Knight that would serve the Republic well. The Force may see his dream to fruition, but in a way and with people that he would have never expected. He, along with Team Natsu and Levy will form a band dedicated to saving the galaxy. Disclaimers on Fairy Tail and SWTOR!
1. Padawan

**A/N: Hello readers, old and new! For those of you who do not know me, I am alternatively called 'The Red Swordsman' after several of my stories on his site with the same name. Please, enjoy a fairy tale with several characters you may be familiar, and one which I am most certain will be new to more than not!**

 **The character 'Litrosh' is owned by me under the current laws of copyright. All characters originating from Fairy Tail and Star Wars are not mine- rights go to their respective owners.**

* * *

Padawan

 _A rocky landscape stretched before him, the infinite void of the stars all around the ground on which he stood. The cold of space gripped him, yet he found that he could still breathe in the vacuum._

"Where am I?" _he wondered aloud. His voice carried an echoing cadence._

"Where' is an irrelevant question," _a deep, commanding, ominous voice said from everywhere and yet nowhere._ "Who' is a more… tantalizing inquiry."

"Identify yourself," _the young man demanded._ "What is this place, why am I here?"

 _The other being chuckled, the darkness around the boy seeming to grow even blacker._ "All of that can be answered by you…" _it replied._ "But only if you choose to surrender… to my guidance…"

"I have already surrendered my life to the Force," _the boy declared clenching his fists defiantly._ "I am a Jedi Knight, servant to the light!"

 _This time, the unseen being let loose an angry growl before their tone changed to that of a roaring lion as it shouted,_ "Then you will die!" _The figure of a man rose from the shadows that surrounded the youth, a blood-red lightsaber in hand, poised to strike at him._

"Kneel before the dragon of Zakuul!"

* * *

Litrosh awoke with a start, gasping for breath, sweat dripping down his brow. Two other young people dressed in simple clothing with practice swords on their backs eyed him with concern from their seats across the small passenger area on the transport.

"Are you all right?" asked one, a girl that was a few years older than he.

"Yes," he gasped heavily as he wiped his forehead. "Just… some kind of nightmare."

"Do you think it could be an omen?" asked the other, a boy that also appeared to be a little older than him.

"Not everything that happens to Jedi is a direct result of the Force's intervention," the girl said with a roll of her eyes.

"The Force permeates all things, at all times," the other student argued. "Nothing happens by accident."

"Sometimes dreams are just dreams, and nothing more, Yerik," the girl grinned. "If all of my dreams came true, I'd be leading the charge against the Empire right now."

"Perhaps someday you will," the student known as Yerik replied. "Do not dismiss such visions as mere fantasy, lest you come to regret it."

"Enough, enough," Litrosh said, drawing silence from the other two. "We're approaching Tython in a moment. We'll be meeting our new masters soon, and I'd rather not spend the last few minutes disrupting our thoughts with a pointless argument."

"We haven't even dropped out of hyperspace," the girl argued.

"Perhaps if you looked less with your eyes, and more with Force, you would see what our comrade sees," Yerik said. Looking directly at his fellow student, he asked, "Tell me. Are you the padawan that everyone has been speaking about? The one that has already mastered three lightsaber forms, and is pursuing a fourth? Undefeated in combat since the age of eleven, if memory serves."

Litrosh remained silent for several seconds before he answered with a wry grin, "This is true, though I can't say I'm too pleased to hear about it from someone else."

"Why not?" the girl asked. "If that's all true, you're amazing- the Jedi Order needs people like you!"

"The Jedi Order needs humble servants, not glorified warriors," Litrosh explained. "I don't want to be treated like a celebrity because I can swing a practice blade with a little more control than the padawan next to me. All I want is to be a Jedi Knight that will serve the Republic in any way that the Force sees fit."

There was more than one reason for Litrosh's reputation, though it was less known to him than his combat skills. At age eighteen, his deep blue eyes were framed by thick eyebrows and dark hair that went down to the middle of his neck, plus a squared jaw and a small nose made him a source of chatter amongst some of the newer female recruits into the Jedi Order. However, he remained constantly unaware of the attention directed at him because of his intense dedication to the Jedi Code and its underlying principles.

As it had been pointed out by Yerik, Litrosh had already mastered three of the seven lightsaber forms, whereas most padawans that went to take the trials on Tython had only mastered one, the basic Shi-cho form that every Jedi was expected to learn. He had not only mastered this form, but also the Soresu, a steadfast and defensive form, and the Makashi, the patterns specifically designed for battling lightsaber to lightsaber.

He was also aiming to conquer the acrobatic Ataru form in order to adapt his fighting style to multiple environments, an area he believed his skills to be lacking. In all modesty, however, Litrosh had a tendency to sell himself short- unbeknownst to him, he was one of the best swordsmen that the Jedi Masters had seen in nearly twenty years. His resolve and strength of mind had caused his previous evaluators to deem him ready to move on to Tython, where he would receive a new master in preparation for his final trials- two years ahead of many of his comrades.

As the ship came out of hyperspace, Litrosh clutched at a crystal beneath his shirt, hung around his neck by a thin chain that he hardly ever took off. It had been given to him by his first master, a Jedi named Precht. White in color, it was a rare crystal amongst the Jedi, most of them reflecting the colors of nature, like blue, green, even yellow.

The day that he had received the gift was the last day that he had ever seen the man responsible for bringing him into the Jedi Order. He had begun his training at the age of four, on the planet of Naboo alongside many of the other children that were training to become knights and consulars. The watery planet was one of the few worlds that were considered safe in the aftermath of the war with the Sith Empire, and the local government had been most accommodating to the rebuilding Jedi.

It was from there that Litrosh was transferring, whilst Yerik and Amisa were transferring from Alderaan, where some Padawans were being called into action on an interim basis. Litrosh had never been called into active duty, neither to his chagrin nor pleasure. He simply did what he was told by his instructors, never giving his own wants a second thought- it was the way of the Jedi, he knew.

"There is no emotion, there is peace," he recited as he re-fastened his grip on the crystal. "There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no doubt, there is only duty. There is no death, there is the Force." As he finished speaking, the ship dropped out of hyperspace, and the planet Tython came into view.

"I don't believe I'm familiar with that one," said Yerik, who had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Pardon?" Litrosh asked, though he did not take his eyes off of the approaching world.

"That line you recited," Amisa added. "There is no doubt, there is only duty'. I've never heard it in any of my lessons before."

"Ah," Litrosh nodded as he turned back to face the other students. "It's a part of the Code that's not officially taught by the Order, but I believe it to be integral to a Jedi's life nonetheless. We cannot doubt in our cause, or else we invite chaos into our spirits, which in turn disrupts our harmony with the Force. From there on, the entire code falls apart."

"Huh," Yerik nodded- it made sense to him. "Where did you learn it?"

"It was something the master that brought me to the Order left behind when he disappeared," Litrosh answered. "He left me several holo-recordings of his teachings, the 'sixth line' being among them."

"Do you… know what happened to him?" Amisa asked, sounding concerned.

"No," Litrosh shook his head. "Nor have I ever been in a position to find out. I try not to think about too much since it tends to disquiet my soul."

"A Jedi should not flee from his fears, but confront them," Yerik countered. "Sounds to me like you're just using rhetoric to hide behind."

"Yerik, that's out of line," Amisa said as she elbowed him with a frown. "It's not our place to instruct a fellow Padawan."

"Of course," the other student said, realizing that he had crossed over a boundary best left unexplored. "My apologies, Litrosh."

"There is nothing to apologize for," Litrosh said easily with a wave of his hand. Thus the matter was dismissed.

* * *

The small shuttle touched down on the landing platform that overlooked a ravine with a slow-moving river at the bottom of it, which fed into an ocean not too far away from the site. Carved out of the stone walls around them were the images of ancient Jedi Masters long lost to history.

"This is amazing…" Amisa said, wonder and awe evident in her voice.

"I know that the masters tell us that the Force permeates every living thing in the universe, but it's as if for the first time, I can actually feel what that means," Yerik said, sounding similarly impressed.

"This is the birthplace of our Order," Litrosh murmured, almost too low for the others to hear. "Few in the galaxy receive the honor of standing here, fewer still have the ability to leave and bear the weight of such a legacy…"

"Are you getting cold feet?"Amisa teased him.

"Even if I was, it's too late to turn back now," Litrosh grinned slightly. "Here come the masters." The others followed his gaze and saw three Jedi coming towards them, one a Twi'lek, the other two, humans.

"Padawans," said one of the humans, a friendly smile on his face. "Welcome to Tython."

"Padawan Yerik, reporting," said the older student.

"Padawan Amisa, reporting," echoed the girl.

"Padawan Litrosh, reporting," the youngest student said. His expression grew a bit exasperated when the masters' faces registered surprise.

"You're the Padawan that your masters on Naboo have been praising?" asked the Twi'lek.

"Yes sir," Litrosh sighed, knowing that it was too much to hope for that his arrival go unnoticed.

"Well, we look forward to seeing you in action, young one," said the other Jedi. "Even some of the members on the Jedi Council are already looking forward to seeing how you fare with the trials here on Tython."

"Wait, even the Council known about him?" Amisa asked, surprise registering on her face.

"That should be inconsequential in regards to what is coming," Litrosh interjected before the masters could reply, not wishing for the others to feel slighted. "We're all here for our trials, and that's what matters. Receiving extra scrutiny should not alter the outcomes here- the Force shall guide us." He showed no signs of pride, only a bit of embarrassment at the thought of receiving attention from such prestigious members of the Order he had sworn to serve.

"Well-spoken," Yerik agreed, seeming to understand the intent behind his comrade's words. "If it pleases you, Masters, we are eager to begin."

"You have a sharp focus, good," said the Twi'lek. "You'll need that here."

"You'll be facing tests that you never even imagined," added the first speaker.

"We will not disappoint you," Litrosh replied, standing up straight.

"It's not us that you should worry about," the second human chuckled. "The council will assign each of you a new master, each of who will oversee your final tests in becoming Jedi." He looked like he was about to say more, but suddenly his communicator started lighting up and beeping, indicating that someone was trying to get ahold of him. "Hold on…" he frowned as he opened the channel. "What is this?"

"Help, Master!" a distorted voice called from the other end, the image filled with static. The person on the other end was clearly an alien padawan, one of the species with long, thin limbs, and a large, rounded head. He was wounded and speaking in Huttese, a common enough language, but not one that was regularly spoken amongst the members of the Jedi Order. They could hear blasters and explosions happening around him. "Flesh Raiders have overrun the training grounds! They have blasters! They-" The connection cut out.

Litrosh reached out with his senses and immediately felt a surge in the dark side of the Force as he extended his mind towards the south. "What's happening?" he asked as he opened his eyes.

"Flesh Raiders are natives to Tython," one master frowned. "But can that truly be what he said? Those brutes are too primitive to use blasters."

"I sense the presence of the dark side," Litrosh replied, his own brow furrowing. "And we could hear the sound blasterfire on his end of the channel- I think it's safe to say that the other trainees are in serious danger."

"I would agree, but hastiness is not the Jedi way," cautioned one of the other masters. "We must proceed with a plan in place."

"I can think of more than one," quipped another. "We have three combat-ready students right here, two of whom have already seen battles against the Empire."

"Without support from the Temple, we'd be sending them into a bloodbath," argued the Twi'lek. "Even then, I don't like their odds."

"The Jedi way is to serve," Litrosh offered. "If our destiny is to stall these 'Flesh Raiders', then so be it. But we cannot stand back while our fellow Jedi are under attack, losing their lives as we speak."

"I like him," the first master grinned as he nodded. "Very well, I suggest this- Amisa and Yerik will travel as a unit, since they have already fought together on the battlefield. Litrosh, there is a Jedi that we will have meet you at the landing platform on the training grounds. She will equip you all with weapons suited for battle better than a practice blade. However, Litrosh will go into battle with her as his partner."

"Why waste a Jedi's time with protecting me?" Litrosh asked, surprised. "Won't I simply hold her back? If you need, I can help hold the lines at wherever the main camp is."

"It's less about holding her back as it is about keeping the two of you alive," the third master sighed. "There is also the fact that she has not seen much live combat, despite passing her trials, so we feel that you may be able to help her realize her potential in the field."

"We'll learn from each other?" Litrosh guessed.

"Exactly."

* * *

"May the Force be with you," Litrosh said as he bowed to his fellow padawans. "I hope to see you both at the Temple when this battle is over." He and the other two students were standing next to the speeder that they had used to reach the outpost that the Jedi had established in order to keep an eye on the training grounds.

To their right was a med bay that looked as though it was on the brink of becoming overfilled with wounded Jedi and padawans. Further down the walkway was the armory, where there were several masters consulting with a few Republic troops that were stationed to assist with the protection of the area. It was there that the youngest student was supposed to find his partner.

"Likewise," Yerik said to Litrosh with a return bow.

"Don't worry about us," Amisa grinned confidently. "We've gotten into worse situations than this back on Alderaan."

"Worse than man-eating monsters armed with blasters?" Yerik asked as they began to walk away.

"Yeah," Amisa replied. "Remember the Kiliks?" Then their voices faded out of range for Litrosh's ears, so he began to focus on finding the Jedi he was supposed to team up with.

 _Master Irez said that she shouldn't be hard to find…_ he thought as he passed the med bay, where he could hear the groaning of many wounded, and feel their suffering through the Force. Despite the oppressive weight on his senses, he moved on, thinking, _She's supposed to be on the small side… With blue hair?_

Even as he finished the thought, his eyes fell on a young-looking Jedi who was laboring over a vibrosword on what looked to be a makeshift worktable, a look of intense concentration on her face as she peered through a pair of micro-glasses. Her skin was a fair shade, her stature could only be described as small, and she looked incredibly young to be a fully-fledged Jedi to Litrosh.

 _Then again, who am I to judge?_ He thought as he walked over. _I'm younger than most of my fellow padawans here on Tython._

"Okay, good to go!" she sighed, her bearing relaxing almost instantly as she stepped back and took off the goggles, tossing back her shoulder-length azure locks as she did. Most of it was being kept back by a headband, but some of it had inevitably slipped out of the binding.

"Master Levy?" Litrosh asked as he approached her.

"Huh?" she asked with a slight start of surprise as he came to stand across her workbench. Her gray-brown eyes looked the young man up and down a couple of times before she said, "Are you one of the students that's coming to help?"

"I am," he nodded. "I was told that you could get me a weapon better than a practice blade meant for sparring against fellow students?" He unslung his practice sword from his back and held it out for her to examine.

"Oh, yeah!" she said lightly as she took the blade. Her countenance became grimmer as she said, "Going up against Flesh Raiders with practice swords is… well, you saw the med bay."

"Unfortunately," Litrosh winced. "How many have we lost?"

"We don't know yet," Levy admitted. "Word is, the Flesh Raiders aren't just killing the padawans out there, though. Some are being held in cages for some reason that we don't understand yet."

"So what's our priority?" Litrosh asked as he folded his arms. "Rescuing the other students, or taking out these Flesh Raiders?"

"I don't think we know that either," Levy shook her head as she picked up the vibrosword and moved around the table to approach him directly. "Honestly, the Jedi in the field are having to make it up as they go." Once she was standing in front of him, he noticed that she wasn't just short- she stood well more than a head shorter than he.

"Okay, so what do you think that you and I ought to do?" Litrosh asked as she handed him the sharp weapon, careful to extend the hilt first as to avoid cutting his hands.

"Huh?" Levy asked, looking bewildered once again.

"The masters that greeted us said that you and I were supposed to team up and head into the field," Litrosh said, feeling that he had missed something. "Didn't you receive a message about it?"

"Well, my holo's been off," she admitted ruefully. "But you must have me mistaken for someone else. I'm a consular, not a knight. I have almost no experience in field combat."

"You are Master Levy McGarden, yes?" Litrosh asked carefully, wanting to be sure that he had the right person.

"I'm not a master, so just call me Levy," she said with a charming- if somewhat strained- smile. "But I'm sure that there's some kind of mix-up. Here, let me call the masters… Which one did you say sent you over here?"

"Master Irez," Litrosh answered immediately, waiting patiently while she pulled out her communicator and brought up the right holo-frequency. "Perhaps you're right," he offered sympathetically. "And if you don't feel comfortable going out, maybe I can-"

"Levy, is that you?" The master that had greeted Litrosh appeared on the device, looking a little surprised. "Did Padawan Litrosh find you yet?"

"Yes, he's right here," she nodded quickly. "But he said that you told me to accompany him…? Did you mean Master Levi?"

"No, child," the master shook his head negatively. "I meant you."

"But I-"

"Levy, we understand that your talents lie outside the heat of combat," Irez said gently. "But you _are_ a Jedi. As such, you must be ready to lead others in battle should the day come."

"If it makes you feel any better, reinforcements are coming from the Temple, Jedi Council Members among them," Litrosh told the girl. "We just need to keep the Flesh Raiders from reaching this outpost."

"Padawan Litrosh speaks correctly," the master said. "Go, Levy. The Force will be with you." The transmission ended, and Levy hung her head.

Looking at her with mixed amounts of concern and pity, Litrosh said, "If you truly wish to stay behind, I won't force you to go. However, I need to get out there and do my part."

Levy looked up at him, startled. "You'd really go out there without backup?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Well, I won't always be able to have backup in the field if I'm ever sent into combat," Litrosh shrugged as he attached his new sword to his back, magnetically binding it the same way that he had his practice blade. "I suppose that I'll have to get used to it sooner than I thought I would." He turned to leave, resigned to his assignment.

"Wait!" Levy's voice stopped him a few feet from where they had stood together, so he looked back over his shoulder curiously. The girl was rummaging through her tools, sifting through several pieces of equipment before she pulled out a lightsaber. Jogging over to meet him, she grinned ruefully and said, "It'd look pretty bad if I let you go out there by yourself while I stayed where it was safe. I'm coming with you."

"Worried about Master Irez?" Litrosh smiled slightly.

"No, I'd be worried about anybody hearing about it," she admitted. "A padawan goes into live combat while his supervising teacher stays back to repair a hydrospanner? I'd never hear the end of it."

"I don't think anyone would criticize you too harshly," Litrosh said reassuringly. "You don't seem to have been a Jedi for long… Er, no offense."

"None taken," she laughed softly. "I just completed my trials two weeks ago, so you're right about that. It's a good thing that consulars aren't evaluated too much on their combat skills, otherwise I'd be hopeless."

"I think you're selling yourself short," Litrosh admonished her gently, trying to choose his words carefully so that she might find some measure of self-confidence. "The Council wouldn't have approved your advancement had they decided you were incapable. Maybe you'll surprise yourself?"

"I hope so," she said somewhat dejectedly. However, he did notice her shoulders lift a bit while her pace seemed a little more purposeful than before.

"Now let's go save some padawans," Litrosh said as they stepped off the stairs that led into the training grounds of Tython.

"Right behind you," Levy said grimly. They could already hear the angry roars of what could only be the Flesh Raiders accompanied by the sounds of lightsabers reflecting blaster shots and piercing flesh.


	2. Cavern Showdown

**A/N: Fair warning, this story will probably be the most irregularly updated out of anything that I've put up on this website. That said, I still hope people will enjoy reading it.**

* * *

Cavern Showdown

They encountered the first party of the Tython natives not one hundred yards into the field. Each one was over six feet tall with pink-and-red skin that cover bulky bodies, topped by a hammerhead-like face, and a wide mouth lined with very sharp teeth. Each one was carrying a sword similar to the padawan's practice blades, and one had a blaster at its hip.

"Whenever the galactic dictionary gets updated, they should have a picture of these things next to the word 'trouble," Litrosh said as he pulled his new sword off of his back and activated the energy binding that would run along the length of the blade. It was heavier than his practice weapon, but that didn't bother him- he had trained with multiple swords of varying weight and length, so the adjustment wouldn't take long for him.

Behind and to the right of him, Levy reached for her lightsaber, quickly grasping the hilt and hitting the switch that ignited the blade. From the corner of his eye, Litrosh noticed that the hilt design was an FD-11 Force-walker's design, an elegant style that suited the grip of a one-handed Jedi, a common style among the consulars of the order. The blade itself was thin and a blue shade that matched her azure locks perfectly, complimenting her appearance greatly.

 _Wait, what?_ He thought just before the Flesh Raiders reacted to the swords, snarling angrily, two of them charging at them headlong while the other grabbed his blaster and aimed at Litrosh.

"Oh, not good," he winced. Vibroswords weren't exactly ideal for reflecting blaster shots, though he could still cut through the lasers thanks to the energy binding on the blade. However, there was more than one way to deal with this problem…

Reaching out with his hand, he used the Force to yank one of the attackers into the path of the blaster just before the leader fired at him. The shot pierced the beast's chest and killed it instantly, causing it to drop its sword and hang in the air like a rag doll. Before the other two could react, Litrosh thrust his palm forward and sent the body flying back to crash into the shooter, who went down with an angry shout.

"Take care of the other one," Litrosh said before he leapt forward with the help of the Force, crossing thirty feet with a single bound to land next to the downed monster and stab it in the head, quickly ending its life. Looking back to see if his partner was doing okay, he was mildly surprised to see her holding her ground, using the Force to tear a chunk of stone out of the mountainside and slam it into the attacker's head, breaking its neck and ending the threat.

"Sorry," he said as he jogged back to her position.

"For what?" she asked as she sheathed her lightsaber, looking at him quizzically.

"You're the Jedi," he said as he bowed his head. "I'm just a Padawan, so I shouldn't have been giving you the orders. Nor should I have engaged the enemy without your direction."

"Seriously?" she giggled. "You were awesome- I probably would have just frozen up and let them shoot me if you hadn't moved first."

Litrosh straightened with surprise- he had fully expected to receive a lecture for his impulsive behavior. "You're not upset?" he asked.

"Not at all," she said as she sheathed her saber. "I kind of had the impression that this should be an 'equal partners' type of thing, not like a master and apprentice. And since you're obviously the combat expert between the two of us, I don't have a problem with you taking the lead."

"Oh," he said, feeling somewhat stupid. "I suppose that makes sense…"

"Don't worry about it, Litrosh," she said easily. "To be honest, I thought I would be a lot more terrified than I am right now, but after seeing you in action, I feel a lot better about all this."

"Then I suppose we should get a move on," he said after a brief pause. "There are likely to be more Flesh Raiders in the area, and you told me about how some padawans are being rounded up and imprisoned. I suggest we go rescue them immediately- maybe some of them can tell us what's happening out here."

"Sounds like a plan," Levy nodded. "I'll try to sense where they may have been taken- just make sure those monsters don't get us while I'm concentrating."

"Will do," Litrosh said as he detected the approach of more Flesh Raiders. Raising his sword in a combat-ready stance, he added, "Better get to it. I sense many more on the way."

* * *

Over the next few hours, the pair proceeded to cut down dozens of the ferocious natives and rescue five padawans from their prisons. Getting the wounded back to the med bay was difficult, but between the two of them, they managed to get the job done.

Every now and then, a new batch of Jedi would show up with reinforcements, and to take the wounded back to the temple, where they could receive proper medical treatment.

Out in the field, Litrosh handled most of the bloody work, leaving the tracking and care of the wounded to Levy. He did notice every once in a while that she seemed to be taking notes on a holopad, which puzzled him a little, but he didn't question it. She must have had a good reason for what she was doing, even if he didn't know what it was.

The sun was setting when she tugged on his sleeve as an indication that she wanted him to stop. "What is it?" he asked her, his breath somewhat ragged with exhaustion.

"I've been compiling notes of the Flesh raider's movements this entire time," she told him as she pulled up her holopad. Entering a few commands, she pulled up a map of the valley surrounding them that displayed several arrows that Litrosh assumed were trails of some kind. Levy looked over at the padawan before asking, "Notice anything?"

"Yes…" he said with a small frown. He pointed at a spot where several of the trails sprung from. "If these are the travel patterns of the Flesh Raiders, they all seem to be coming from this part of the mountains."

"Which is weird, because their main village is on the other side of this mountain range," Levy said as she put away the map. "Which means that there's probably a tunnel they're using to get through and slip past our sentries. The real kicker? The area that they're coming from is actually a little closer to the Jedi Temple than it is to the outpost. Seems like they're not willing to challenge us on our home turf just yet."

"Are they that smart?" Litrosh asked as he pulled out a canteen and offered it to Levy for a drink. As she accepted the flask, he added, "From what I've been told- and seen- they don't appear to be smart enough to plan something like this."

Levy swallowed the water before she wiped her mouth and said, "You're right about that… maybe some of them are actually more intelligent than we gave them credit for."

"That's a disturbing thought," Litrosh muttered. "The real thing to ponder here is, 'what should you and I do about it?' I would recommend calling on the council, or at least any of the senior Jedi in these parts."

"Way ahead of you," she said as she pulled out her holocom. Flicking the switch on the side, she signaled for Master Irez's holofrequency. A moment later, his image appeared on the device, prompting Levy to say, "Master? This is Jedi Levy and Padawan Litrosh reporting in."

"Is everything all right?" the man asked, clutching at his leg.

"We're fine, but what's the situation back at the camp?" Levy asked with concern. "Are you injured?"

"I got careless, and one of the Raiders got me in the leg with a blaster," he grunted with a wry grin. "They're tenacious, I'll give them that. It's bad enough that the Jedi Council is sending Master Orgus Din to assist us…" His voice trailed off as a new wave of pain hit him.

"The Plain Jedi?" Litrosh asked, an unexpected spark of interest emerging from within him.

"The very same," Irez nodded.

"Wait, do you know him?" Levy asked.

"I know _of_ him," Litrosh answered. "He's something of a hero among the Republic's military forces, and a respected member of the High Council."

"Sounds like you admire him," Levy said.

"I do, but I think we're getting off-topic," the padawan said before they went too far down the rabbit trail. "Master, Levy and I believe we know where the Flesh Raiders are coming from."

"What? How?" the man asked.

"While we've been out here, I've been mapping the movements of the enemy, and my notes all seem to point to this sector… sending you my report along with the coordinates," she said as she held her datapad up next to the communication device.

Irez looked down, apparently studying the notes that were being sent to him. When he failed to comment, Litrosh asked, "What should our next course of action be, Master?"

"Hmm…" the older man mused. Finally, he said, "Head to the site that you've detailed. I want visuals on the area, but do not engage the enemy if it appears that there are too many. I'm sending Master Orgus your way, just in case."

"Will we be receiving any other backup?" Levy asked a bit worriedly. "Litrosh and I are both getting worn out here."

"There are some other padawans in the area that I'll try to reach, but chances are that you'll have to wait for Orgus," Irez winced. "I'm sorry, but that's all I can do right now."

"We understand," Litrosh said with a head bow. "May the Force be with you, Master."

"And you, padawan," the Jedi said. "Remember- do not engage their forces if you can avoid it. Master Irez, out." The communication ended.

"Great…" Levy groaned. "As if the regular amount of those monsters weren't bad enough…"

Litrosh clasped her on the shoulder reassuringly and said, "Don't worry- the Force shall guide us."

"Yeah, but I don't know if I'll like where it's taking us," she sighed. "This whole day has been too crazy for me."

"There is no chaos, there is peace," Litrosh recited. "We'll be fine. I have faith in that."

"Then you're going in front of me," the girl said as she finally looked up at him.

"So basically what I've been doing all day?"

"That's harsh!"

* * *

They found the entrance with surprising ease.

"There's a lot fewer of them around here than I thought there would be," Levy said as Litrosh finished taking out two of the monsters that had been standing guard at the mouth of the tunnel.

"They _have_ been coming in waves all day," Litrosh pointed out. "Maybe their numbers are thinning out?"

"Or they're gathering their forces for a fresh wave," Levy countered.

Litrosh took a long look at her, then at the cave, then back at her again. "Now _I've_ got a bad feeling about this," he grumbled as they headed inside. Since there didn't appear to be an excessive amount of enemy forces in the area, they both knew it would be more prudent to have a look around, see if there was something that they were missing.

The cave network was well-lit with torches, but again, there was a surprising lack of enemy forces. The Jedi and Padawan were able to take them out with relative silence to avoid alerting any forces that might be hiding nearby as they progressed further into the tunnel.

Litrosh wanted to believe that his hunch was right about the enemy running out of numbers was correct, and he wasn't sensing very many life-forms in the caves around them. Still, something wasn't right… _What is it that's making me feel so uneasy?_ He wondered silently. It wasn't just the presence of the Dark Side of the Force- something just seemed off, even without his Jedi senses.

"You're feeling it too?" Levy asked quiet enough that only Litrosh could hear her, even in the echoes of the tunnel.

Litrosh looked over at his partner with a measure of surprise before nodding and whispering back, "Something about all of this is making me feel uneasy, and it's not just the imbalance of the Force in here."

"Yeah, I feel the same," she replied. "I hope Master Orgus gets here soon- we're getting close to the focus of the darkness in here." Litrosh realized that she was right once he concentrated- the presence of the Dark Side was increasing with every step he took further into the tunnel.

Looking down a few dozen yards ahead of them, they could see the opening into a larger cave, where the lighting appeared to be stronger. "Ready?" Litrosh asked.

"I know I'm supposed to say 'a Jedi is always ready', but I don't feel ready at all," Levy admitted nervously.

"I've always thought that if we wait until we're completely ready for anything, we'll spend our entire lives doing nothing," Litrosh grinned slightly as he held out a hand to the girl. It felt strange for him to be giving advice to a member of the Order that was his senior, but he had realized that Levy didn't see it that way. They were equals, she and him, and he found that he quite liked the idea of having a partner by his side in the field like this.

Her eyes widened slightly at the proffered grip, but after a moment she placed her cool hand in his own, gripping it tight. "There is no death," Litrosh reminded her. "There is the Force…" As he spoke, he concentrated on the Light Side of the Force, feeling how it permeated his being, flowing through and around him, even as it did with Levy.

The girl felt this connection to the Force through him, calming her nerves and giving her a measure of courage that she'd never had before. She could feel Litrosh's determination and resolve, giving her new hope in the face of the horrible sights that they had faced on the battlefield. It was now clear that killing living creatures was something that unsettled the boy, which surprised her. It seemed like nothing could rattle Litrosh, but she now realized that he wasn't relying on his own strength at all, but trusting in the will of the Force.

 _He's going to be a great Jedi_ , she thought as he squeezed her hand before releasing his grip.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Yeah," she sighed with relief. "Thank you, Litrosh."

"Of course," he nodded as he held up his sharp blade. "Shall we?"

"Let's do it," she said as she gripped her lightsaber and joined him in walking out into the light.

* * *

They stumbled upon a scene most bizarre. Next to what looked like a makeshift camp, complete with a small communication's terminal, stood two massive Flesh Raiders, deep brown in color with rough-looking white tattoos. They appeared to be standing guard in front of the entrance to yet another cave network. _Seems like this is where they're coming from, all right,_ Litrosh thought quickly.

Yet the strangest thing was that they appeared to be standing at attention in front of a human male that was currently pacing in front of an alien padawan. Litrosh quickly took note of the lightsaber that hung from his belt.

 _Either he's a Jedi, which is either very good, or very bad, considering the way that those Flesh Raiders seem to be obeying him,_ he thought with narrow eyes. _That, or he's a Sith, which is probably the worse of those two scenarios._

They made their approach with as little noise as possible, drawing close enough to hear the man saying to the wounded alien, "Stop struggling, Padawan. Your fight was over the moment you entered this cave."

"You are Jedi," the wounded student said, holding his side in pain. "Why would you attack me?"

"Because you are weak, and the weak perish," the man said contemptuously.

"So you _are_ leading these Flesh Raiders in an attack against our people," Litrosh said as he and Levy stepped into the light closer to the scene of the conflict.

The man seemed surprised for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure as he brought his hand to rest on the hilt of his lightsaber while saying, "Not attacking- cleansing. So-called Padawans like him and you corrupt the Force with your very existence. In order for the Jedi to grow strong again, you must be erased." He gripped the hilt of his weapon and brought it away from his body to ignite a brilliant blue blade.

"Be careful!" the alien padawan said as he began to back away from the impending fight.

"Levy, protect him!" Litrosh said as he came between the man and his target. The two Flesh Raiders growled a warning, but he held his ground. Holding up his vibrosword, sweat lined his brow as he wondered how to counter the faster, deadlier lightsaber with his heavy blade. _He has all the advantages,_ he thought rapidly. _His sword is lighter, and much more durable. If I let him hit my vibroblade too many times, it'll break, and then I'm in real trouble… Not to mention those two monsters…_

"You reek of fear, something too many Jedi are infected with these days," the other man said. "A real Jedi would never allow fear to cloud his thoughts."

 _He's right,_ Litrosh realized. Forcing his thoughts to slow down, he stopped focusing on his disadvantages, even as he re-gripped his weapon. _Despite what he claims, I feel the Dark Side emanating from him… I have no room for such darkness in my life… I am a Padawan, servant to the Light Side, the true nature of the Force._

His hands quickly stopped shaking, and the sweat lining his brow stopped increasing as his breathing became deep and even. "There is no doubt," he said aloud. "There is only duty."

"Litrosh!" Levy shouted before drawing her arm back.

Litrosh's eyes widened, but he held out his hand, allowing the Force to guide their movements. Levy cast her lightsaber towards him, and just like a bolt drawn to a magnet, it landed perfectly in his palm for his fingers to grip the hilt and find the ignition switch. The thin blue blade sprang to life, and Litrosh turned to face his enemy once again. In the same motion, he threw his vibrosword, beheading one of the Flesh Raiders before the sword found itself stuck in the cave wall.

"What?!" The man was clearly startled by the sudden reversal of fortunes.

"Listen up," Litrosh said, his voice clear and strong as he settled into a Soresu stance. "I don't know what your goal is here, and frankly I don't care. I'll give you a chance to surrender and explain yourself to the Jedi Council, but after that, it's anyone's guess as to what might happen."

"This kind of nonsensical mercy is proof that the Jedi have strayed from their intended path," the man said with a furrowed brow, though he made no aggressive moves other than to settle in a dueling stance, one of the Makashi variations, he noticed. Whoever this was, it was clear that he was no novice when it came to saber combat.

"You won't surrender?" Litrosh asked him, even as he reached for the Force.

"Why would I surrender to a child like you?" the man snorted. "I have the Force on my side- you will not be leaving this cavern alive."

Litrosh said nothing, instead choosing to act. Words would not reach this man, he knew. There was only one path left to him now.

Thrusting with his left hand, he sent the vibrosword that he had imbedded in the wall flying to stab through the heart of the remaining Flesh Raider. The man was only distracted for half a second, but it gave Litrosh time and room to aim an overhand blow at his opponent. He was looking to disarm him by slicing into his shoulder, which would sever the tendons and rob him of his ability to fight with the corresponding limb.

Litrosh felt something invisible clout him on the chest, throwing him in the dirt and nearly forcing him to drop his borrowed weapon and shutting it down. "I told you," the man said, his brow still bent downward. "You are weak."

"I may be weak…" Litrosh grunted as he leaped to his feet, quickly reigniting the saber. "But I'm not alone."

Before the man could reply, Levy had used the Force to slam a good-sized rock into their enemy's back, forcing him to stumble, just as Litrosh had a moment ago. There was a sound of static crackling as the two swords met, Levy's saber in her partner's hand coming up to parry his opponent's clumsy stabbing attack.

They dueled at a fast pace after that, Levy staying close by to lend a hand if the opportunity should present itself. The issue was, Litrosh kept his opponent at close quarters, preventing her from being able to strike at their enemy with the Force without risking the life of her charge.

Litrosh could feel his muscles burning not only from exhaustion due to the day's battle, but also from the oppression of the dark side, clouding his mind, trying to blind him with the fear that any wrong movement could be his last.

 _Why should I win?_ The dark corners of his mind taunted. _I'm merely an apprentice. If I fall here, no one will remember me. My defeat will mean nothing…_

It was for those reasons that he knew he could not allow himself to fall here. Shoving his opponent back after a slightly prolonged deadlock, he thought to himself, _It is not I that should win, but that the will of the Force succeed here. I am an apprentice to the light- I strive to overcome self-destructive desires and delusions of strength and power over others. My death or victory is not predestined, yet I must allow the Force to have a hand in it._

"There is no passion," he said as he saw his opponent's lightsaber flickering in the corner of his vision. "There is peace." He saw the saber coming, so he moved at what felt like just the right moment- not too fast, not too deliberate, but at the pacing that the Force guided him.

His weapon slapped aside the other blade, leaving his opponent wide open. Stamping his foot forward to give himself extra thrust, he aimed his blade for his opponent's shoulder, seeking once again to cripple him.

The man tripped on a rock.

It wasn't much, but it definitely caused his body to shift in a significant enough manner to alter the ultimate outcome of the duel. Litrosh's blade took him right in the heart, killing him instantly. His eyes were wide as they stared down at the sword, as if in disbelief. His killer's eyes matched his shock as the body fell backwards to collapse in the dirt.

No one said anything for several minutes, the only sound being the sheathing of Levy's lightsaber. Finally, Litrosh sank to his knees and held out the borrowed weapon for Levy to take as she slowly approached him. "Here," he said hoarsely, his voice dry. "I, uh… sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for anything," she told him as she knelt with him and took back her saber. "I saw you give him every chance to surrender and take him in without using lethal force. It was an accident, so… try not feel bad about it?" As she spoke, she realized that the words sounded stupid, but it was all she had to offer the padawan.

"I… I'll have to meditate on this," Litrosh finally said. "I trusted in the Force, so I know that this must have happened for a reason. I just can't see it right now."

"That's a fine way to rationalize this battle," said an older, sage voice. "You've done well here, Padawan." The two of them looked up to see a human man approaching them. He was dressed in the combat gear of Jedi Master, a sturdy-looking lightsaber at his hip. He had a hard face lined with wrinkles and short gray hair, but his brown eyes exuded kindness and wisdom.

"You three okay?" he asked as the wounded padawan started to come out of his hiding place.

"A little shaken up, but we'll be okay," Levy said as she got to her feet and offered a hand to Litrosh. As he accepted her help, she added, "Thanks for coming, Master Orgus."

"It wasn't much trouble," he said as he moved forward and finished helping Litrosh get to his feet. "You two really cleaned up in here."

"More like he cleaned house," Levy admitted with a wry grin as she nudged Litrosh, who was staring at Orgus, wide-eyed. "I wouldn't have lasted a minute out here without him."

"Is that right?" the aged master said with a raised eyebrow. "In that case, you have my thanks, Padawan. Levy is one of our best and brightest in the labs- the Order needs kids like her."

"It was my honor, Master," Litrosh said quickly as he bowed to the Jedi. He was still a bit dizzy from the fight and its aftermath, so he nearly lost his balance, but Levy caught him up before he could fall over.

"Easy there, big guy," she told him as she helped him regain his balance. "You've had quite the day. Why don't we let the professionals take over, huh?"

"Master," said the wounded padawan. "This Jedi here attacked me. He led the Flesh Raiders against our people. He seemed… sick. Confused."

"This man…" Orgus said as he moved to kneel beside the corpse with a frown. "He's no Jedi. Not one of ours, at least." His frown deepened as he muttered, "I warned the Council that these natives aren't mindless beasts. This is the proof."

"Ugh…" Litrosh groaned as he felt his legs giving way to his exhaustion, Levy just managing to keep him from falling flat on his face. Apparently he'd been relying on the Force for sustained energy more than he'd realized. His body was completely spent. Still… "The tunnel," he said as he gestured weakly at the entrance that the Flesh Raiders had been guarding. "We have to seal it."

"I'll take care of that," Orgus said as he stepped away from the body. As he extended his hand towards the tunnel, the others felt the cavern around them begin to tremble as the Force moved with tremendous power. The trembles quickly became a loud rumbling, and before anyone could speak, the tunnel collapsed on itself with a loud _bang_!

"That oughta hold 'em for a while," Orgus said as he dusted off his hands, satisfied with his work.

"That was amazing, Master," Litrosh said, eyes widening again.

"Give yourself forty years, Padawan, and you might master that trick yourself," Orgus grinned. "You got a name, kid?"

"Litrosh," the boy answered. He tried to straighten up so that he could offer a proper bow, but his limbs betrayed his will. "Forgive my impoliteness, Master."

"You're exhausted, don't worry about it," Orgus said, waving the matter aside. "Levy, I need to get our other friend here-" he gestured to the alien padawan that had been wounded earlier, "-to the med center. Can you get Litrosh to the Temple?"

"How bad is the fighting outside?" Levy winced.

"All but cleared out," Orgus reassured her. "The masters and more experienced knights are sweeping the valley to wipe out the stragglers now. Danger will be at a minimum, but I still advise caution."

"I'll get him there safely," Levy replied, looking a little more confident than she had before. "You have my word, Master."

"Thank you, Levy," Orgus smiled at her. Fixing his gaze on Litrosh, he added, "And thank you again. I know I don't have the full story yet, but from what I can see, you've done well today, Litrosh. I admit I'm interested to see where the Force guides you here on Tython- maybe even beyond."

"We'll take our leave, then," Levy said when Litrosh failed to formulate an answer. As she led him away through the tunnel while Master Orgus remained for one last quick scan of the area, she asked under her breath, "Is he your idol or something?"

"Jedi don't have idols," Litrosh replied with a faint grin. "But we do have role models."

* * *

They made it to the Temple with no trouble, for which both of them were grateful. Litrosh was hardly in any condition to fight, and Levy did not feel up to the task of protecting both herself and a Padawan- especially since he had been the one doing all of the protecting until now.

As soon as they arrived, they were greeted by a gray-haired Jedi healer who immediately saw to treating Litrosh for the scrapes and bruises that he had accumulated over the course of the day.

"My, my, aren't you a reckless one?" she said with a soft cluck of her tongue as she noticed the particularly painful bruising on his back, a result of his encounter with the false Jedi. "You kids these days…" Her words were delivered with a smile to show that she meant no insult as she scanned him with a medical pad.

"Padawan Litrosh fought bravely to defend me and rescue several padawans in the valley today," Levy informed the master. "He did very well."

"Relax, child, I was merely teasing him," she laughed lightly. Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder, the older Jedi said, "Wendy, dear? Could you fetch me some fresh colto?"

"Yes, Master," said a young, higher-pitched voice. The owner of the voice quickly scampered up to reveal the speaker to be a young girl, aged perhaps eleven or twelve. She had waist-length deep blue hair that framed large brown eyes and an innocent face.

"Thank you, dear," the lady smiled.

"Master Grandeeney is one of our most skilled healers," Levy told Litrosh. "You're in good hands here."

"Seems like a bit much," Litrosh grinned. "All I have are a few scratches and some exhaustion. I'm honestly surprised that you would spend any length of time with someone so lightly injured."

"Oh hush, I'm here to help anyone who needs it," the older Jedi reprimanded him. "Now hold still while I administer this colto."

"Yes ma'am," the young warrior grinned again and held still while he received the injection.

"There, you're all set," Grandeeney said as she patted his arm. "You'll be good as new in the morning."

"Thank you, Master," Litrosh said with a seated bow. As Grandeeney left to go tend to other patients, new elements entered the picture.

"Yo, Levy!" called out a high-pitched male voice.

"Thank the Force you're safe!" exclaimed a girl's voice just before someone came up and hugged Levy, nearly tackling her in the same movement. "When I heard you'd been sent into live combat, I got really worried!"

"Hey, I'm okay, Lucy," Levy said as the person hugging her took a step back. "Natsu, did you manage to stay out of trouble while this whole thing was going on?" The two that had approached her appeared to be Padawans, judging by their garb and vibroswords. The girl was an attractive young woman with long blond hair and brown eyes. Her friend was a lean, muscular young man with pink hair, onyx-colored eyes, and wearing a goofy grin.

"Heh, I kept the trouble outta this place, that's what happened," he grinned wider in answer to Levy's question.

"The usual?" the blue haired girl sighed to her friend.

"Yeah," the other girl- whom Litrosh assumed was Lucy- nodded heavily. "Master Makarov told him to stand guard at the eastern post, but of course he ended up getting a little carried away, so I had to go and provide backup."

"Man, that was fun," Natsu chuckled as he cracked his knuckles.

Litrosh raised an eyebrow at the newcomers as he asked, "Friends of yours, Levy?"

"Oh, yeah!" she exclaimed as she turned back to face Litrosh. "Guys, meet the guy responsible for keeping me alive today- Litrosh."

"Pleased to meet you," he said as he stood up to shake hands with them.

"Yo," Natsu said easily as he shook the offered hand. "You must be pretty tough if they just threw ya in there like that."

"Levy said you kept her alive?" Lucy asked curiously. "If that's the case, you have my thanks. I'm Lucy Or- er, just Lucy is fine."

"Pleased to meet you, Lucy," Litrosh said with a smile as he shook her hand.

"Hey, new guy," a colder, more masculine voice said as its owner walked up to the group.

"Oh great, it's Frosty," Natsu muttered, his face souring as another young man walked up, this one dark of hair and eye color. "Whaddya want, man?"

"Gray, is everything okay?" Levy asked as she cocked her head at the approaching boy.

"My master wants a word with this guy," he said as he fixed his gaze on Litrosh.

"Your master being…?" Litrosh asked, slightly put off by this newcomer's cold attitude.

"Satele Shan, Jedi Grandmaster," he replied bluntly.

Litrosh felt all the blood drain from his face. "Oh."


	3. Welcome to Tython

Welcome to Tython

Litrosh stood outside the private chambers of the Jedi Grandmaster, Satele Shan, forcing himself to take deep breaths and use the Force to calm his rattled nerves. _Fear invites the Dark Side,_ he told himself. _There is no emotion, there is peace._

Turning slightly to look over his shoulder, he asked, "She said nothing about what she wished to discuss?"

His escort, the young man named Gray whom also happened to be Shan's apprentice, shrugged and said, "I didn't ask. Just go in- she didn't seem like she was mad at you or anything."

Drawing a small amount of comfort from those words, the blue-eyed apprentice raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door. The metal obstruction retracted quickly, giving the Padawan a clear view into the room as he stepped through. It was simply furnished with a small bed, a desk that held a holoprojector and some kind of locket, a single lamp, and a bland-looking rug. Some might have called the furnishings Spartan in their functionality.

Kneeling in meditation on the rug was middle-aged woman with brown hair that formed into a few braids falling neatly around her head. Her skin was a fair shade, and when she opened her eyes to look at them, he was slightly interested to notice that they were a shade of blue similar to his own. However, whereas his eyes were dark and clear by nature, hers' seemed to be darkened and clouded over by the many years of war and destruction she had seen in her youth.

"Greetings, Padawan," she said, her voice soft yet strong. Gesturing to the spot in front of her, she added, "Please, be seated."

Litrosh obeyed swiftly, even as the door closed behind him. Once he was kneeling in a similar pose to the master, he said, "Good evening, Master Shan."

"I sense your trepidation, though it is slight," she replied, her eyes boring into his. "You do well not to let it cloud your judgement, young one. Few your age can claim to have such a handle on their emotions."

"My first master was very adamant that I gain control of my insecurities from when I first began training," Litrosh told her. "Ever since he left me in the care of my teachers on Naboo, I have strived to maintain confidence in my abilities. Of course, it then becomes a balancing act so that I do not let confidence breed arrogance."

"A struggle that every Padawan must conquer if they can hope to become a Jedi," Satele nodded sagely. "You seem to have a very firm grasp on our core principles and how they should apply to your life."

"Thank you, Master," Litrosh said with a slight bow, relaxing a bit. So far it seemed as though he had not been summoned for a reprimand.

"You are wondering why I summoned you, yes?" Satele asked him. When Litrosh nodded that he was, she continued on to say, "I heard that you were the one who confronted the corrupted Jedi that was leading the Flesh Raiders' attack on our people. I felt that conflict in the Force- I wanted to see how it had affected you."

It took Litrosh a moment to find his voice, but when he did, he asked, "You… wanted to make sure that I was okay?"

"To put it crudely, yes," Satele replied with a small smile. "I know from Master Grandeeney's medical report that you are physically sound, but I wanted to speak with you concerning the matter of your mind. As I'm sure you know now, taking a life affects the living Force- and the one who does the killing."

Litrosh nodded, thinking on his words carefully before he made his reply. "It was unsettling in the moment, I admit," he said. "However, I did not kill him intentionally- it was merely by circumstance that his life ended. I decided to take that as a sign that it was the will of the Force that his journey end there."

"You seem calm in the aftermath, but a Jedi must enter battles just as peacefully," Satele reminded him. "Were you able to do so?" She was watching him very closely now, so he knew that he had to be completely honest with her- this might end up being one of his trials, he realized.

"I was," he nodded. "Though not on my own."

"How did you achieve this peace of mind, then?" the Grandmaster asked him.

"The Jedi that came with me into the fields, Levy?" Litrosh answered. "Before we confronted the man, we were fortunate enough to have a brief moment of respite that allowed us to commune with the Force together. Had we not been given that chance, I may have had a much harder time keeping a clear head in the battle."

Satele's eyes narrowed slightly for a moment, and Litrosh had a sinking feeling that he might have said something wrong. "You communed in the Force together?" she repeated.

"Yes, Master," Litrosh nodded quickly, wondering what her interest was.

"You have no prior history with Jedi McGarden, do you?" she asked him. He replied that he did not. "Hmm…"

"Have I done something wrong, Master?" he asked after a quiet moment.

"We have found out many students beginning to form attachments with one another when they meld with the Force in such a manner," the Jedi Master said with a slight frown. "Yet I sense no such attachment between you and her."

"Attachment?" Litrosh repeated, eyes widening in shock as he realized the implications of their actions. "Far be it, Master!" he added quickly. "I made an oath to become a Jedi, which I intend to honor in every aspect of my life!"

"Calm yourself, Padawan," she chided him gently. "I believe you. I simply find it strange that two Jedi with no prior history could commune in the Force so easily with no emotional attachments, not to mention without any trace of the Dark Side of the Force."

"Y-Yes, Master," he stammered, forcing himself to breathe more deeply and evenly.

When she sensed that he would be open to conversation again, Satele asked him, "Have you been assigned a place to stay while here in the Temple?"

"No, Master," he said with a shake of his head. "I was told that my quarters would be assigned to me by my new master. Because of the invasion today, I find myself lacking either."

"Then I shall be sure to rectify both by tomorrow evening," the Jedi told him. "The rest of the council will want to debrief you tomorrow at noon, so for tonight, Gray will share his room with you. Get some rest- you've earned it."

"Thank you, Master," Litrosh said with a seated bow. When he rose, he asked hesitantly, "If… there's nothing else, Master?"

"Only a suggestion on my part," Satele replied with a small smile. "The Jedi Code forbids emotional attachments, yet many of us here in the Order have found good friends among our peers. I suggest that you spend your morning becoming familiar with the Temple in good company."

"I'll be sure to do that, Master," Litrosh said as he rose to his feet. Bowing once more, he said, "Thank you for your concern."

"May the Force be with you," the Grandmaster told him. Then, in an almost reverential tone, she added, "I sense a great and noble destiny ahead of you, young Litrosh."

At that, Litrosh finally cracked a smile in the presence of the esteemed master. "A Jedi does not seek greatness," he replied. "I'll be happy to serve my days as a peacekeeper, Master."

"Be that as it may," Satele told him, fixing her steely blue eyes on him in a way that sent an uncertain shiver down his spine, "Our destinies are what the Force wills."

He said nothing in response this time. At first he had thought that she may have been joking, but now he realized that she was serious- almost deathly so. Suppressing another shiver, he exited the room, wiping at an itching sensation on his forehead. Only after he had brought his hand down did he realize that it was cold sweat.

"Hey man, you okay?" Gray's voice nearly caused him to jump out of his skin as soon as the door closed behind him.

"Eh?" he gasped, confused for a second. When the other apprentice raised an eyebrow at him, Litrosh shook his head to clear it before answering, "Erm, yes, I believe I'm all right."

"Sure…" Gray said slowly. "Look, she's my master, okay? I know she can be kinda intense sometimes."

"Kinda?" Litrosh repeated with a questioning inflection that bordered on incredulity. "It felt like she was staring into my future just by having a conversation with me!"

"My master has been known to do that from time to time," Gray shrugged. "You get used to it eventually."

"No ya don't, it's creepy!" The two of them turned to see Natsu, Lucy, and Levy walking toward them from down the hall.

"Natsu, calm down!" Lucy said in a loud-hushed voice. "People are trying to get some rest!"

"Why are you two here?" Gray asked, his mood souring.

"Lighten up, Gray," Levy said with a reassuring smile. "I just wanted to make sure Litrosh had somewhere to settle for the night. Since Natsu actually sleeps pretty well on the ground, he offered his bed to you for the night, if you want it, Litrosh."

"I'm actually here cos I wanted Levy's help on some readings I'm doing to prepare for my upcoming trials," Lucy explained.

The apprentice was touched by their generosity, and he replied with a smile and the words, "That's very kind of you. I was actually wondering about where I would stay tonight."

"My master told me that if you didn't have anywhere else to go, you can use my place," Gray said noncommittally. "I have patrol of the Temple Grounds until midnight, so I won't be in your way."

"Haha!" Natsu laughed unexpectedly. "Good luck tryin' ta sleep in his room! He keeps the thermostat down to somewhere between Hoth and Ilum!"

"Better than your room," Gray replied, his brow furrowing deeply in annoyance. "You keep it hotter than Mustafar and your snores are impossible to tune out!"

"Guys!" Lucy said with something close to panic. "Erza sleeps in this area! I do _not_ want to wake her up!" For some reason, this seemed to shut Gray and Natsu up instantly.

Litrosh looked at Levy quizzically. "Did I miss something?" he asked, making sure to keep his voice appropriate to the late hour.

"Erza is something of a rival to those two," she grinned with a whisper so that even the others wouldn't hear her. "She's one of the Temple's top fencers among the apprentices, and neither one of them has ever been able to beat her in practice."

"Interesting," Litrosh mused. "Maybe I'll see my way to getting a few tips from her in the art of the sword." He was about to add something else when his own body interrupted him with a large, unexpected yawn. "Sorry," he mumbled as an apology, his aching limbs practically demanding that he rest now.

"Don't worry about it," Levy told him. "We've all had a long day- I could use some shuteye myself." Turning to Lucy, she said, "We'd all better get to bed- mind if we meet up for breakfast tomorrow? I'll help you with the readings, then."

"You got it," Lucy grinned. Turning back to the boys, she said, "Natsu- Litrosh needs a place to crash. You gonna help him with that or not?"

"Huh?" the salmon-haired apprentice asked, in the middle of staring down Gray. "Oh, yeah, I guess. If he wants."

"Gonna go spend the night at Natsu's, then?" Gray asked, finally pulling back from butting heads with the other apprentice.

"Well, yes," Litrosh answered neutrally. "I'll be taking Natsu up on his offer. It seemed the more logical choice since he offered freely, whereas your master likely gave you an order."

"Well, you're right about that last part," Gray sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't need the Force to know that he had a long night ahead of him, and continuing this argument would simply waste time and energy he was going to need. "Well, if you change your mind, I'm in that room over there." He pointed to a door five rooms down the hall. "I'm off, guys. Gotta go make sure we don't get eaten in our sleep." With a dry chuckle, he walked off, hands in his pockets.

Once he was out of sight, the others gestured for Litrosh to accompany them to another wing in the Temple. As he began to follow them, he asked, "May I ask something about Gray?"

"Sure," Lucy replied casually.

"Is he always so… uptight?" the younger apprentice asked. "I mean, I understand keeping to the Code- I've even been called a stickler for the rules myself, but he just seemed… cold."

"He's not always like that," Levy assured him. "He and Natsu just don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, so he tends to be a little stiffer whenever they're close to one another, or when he's meeting new people. You just got unlucky enough to catch him in a moment where he had to deal with both."

"He doesn't like you, Natsu?" Litrosh asked curiously. "Why?"

"Cos I always stomp him in practice sessions, that's why," the salmon-haired apprentice grinned.

"I think you might have hit your head fighting those Flesh Raiders earlier today," Lucy said dryly. "The overseeing instructors almost always end up having to call their matches in a tie. It's pretty surprising since Natsu mastered the Juyo form."

Litrosh nearly tripped over in surprise when he heard that particular tidbit. "I'm sorry, did you say that he has actually mastered the _most advanced_ of the lightsaber forms?" he asked, almost incredulous.

"Hell yeah, I did," Natsu grinned back at the newcomer. "Master Makarov actually appreciates havin' a student that can swing a sword without almost choppin' his own head off."

"But does he appreciate a student with a pride problem?" Litrosh remarked softly with a faint grin. He was beginning to have an idea of why the student of the Order's Grandmaster had taken a disliking to the spunky apprentice.

"Hey, no Jedi's perfect!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Yet we must strive to reach perfection nonetheless," the newcomer replied sagely. "There is no doubt, there is only duty."

"Sixth line believer, huh?" Levy asked over her shoulder. Litrosh's eyes registered surprise, so she shrugged and added, "I read stuff. Though I gotta say, I'd always heard it as, 'There is no contemplation, there is only duty."

"Really?" Litrosh asked, his surprise going further. "I'd never heard it that way before- my first master, Precht, always said it how I recited it."

"Wait, your first master was Jedi Knight Precht?" Levy asked, stopping and turning to face him with wide eyes.

"Well, he didn't get the chance to teach me much, but he _was_ the one that brought me to the Order on Naboo," Litrosh told her. "He left me some holorecordings of lessons that he believed were essential to the life of a Jedi, and I've always taken them to heart."

"Dude…" Natsu said, his eyes also wide. Lucy looked similarly stunned.

"…Yes?" Litrosh asked, confused by their reactions.

"Your first master is considered a legend in the Order's archives," Levy told him excitedly. "He was a survivor from the Temple bombing on Courascant. It was actually mostly thanks to him and Master Orgus that as many Jedi survived as they did."

"Really?" the younger apprentice asked, curious. "I've never heard of his involvement in the Temple's Fall, nor seen any records."

"It's something I was reading the other day," Levy told him. "I was in a section of the library that's only allowed for fully qualified Jedi, since I'd never been there before. Part of a text I was reading was a complete record of the Jedi that survived the bombings, and their level of involvement. Seems like his actions weren't made public knowledge."

"Why? What did he do?" Litrosh asked as they began walking again. He was aware of a curiosity arousing inside him that he had not felt in a long time, which somewhat puzzled him. He had never sought to learn about his first teacher, simply choosing to honor him as the man that had introduced him to the ways of the Jedi.

"There were three Sith Lords in charge of the attack on our people," Levy told him. "Darth Malgus, who killed Master Ven Zallow, Darth Angral, who dueled Master Orgus, and Darth Adraas, who was defeated by Master Precht. He almost killed the Sith, but he apparently he decided that rescuing the younger Padawans took precedence. He managed to incapacitate Adraas, then led a large group of younglings to safety- he was a hero."

"Amazing," Litrosh marveled. He'd had no idea that his first master had been so instrumental in the battle that nearly wiped out the Jedi, much less saving its next generation. Looking directly at Levy, he asked, "If it's alright with you, I would like to know more about what history says of him- could we perhaps meet to discuss it in the morning over breakfast?"

"Sure, I'd be happy to," Levy said with a smile. "I'm always glad to share history with anyone that wants to listen- Lucy here is also quite the historian."

"I wouldn't say that," the blonde apprentice said as she held up her hands. "I'm nowhere near your level."

"History is boring," Natsu huffed. His face suddenly lit up with a mischievous grin before he said, "Hey Litrosh? How about a sparring match in the morning? I heard you're supposed to be awesome at combat, so I wanna give it a shot at kicking your butt tomorrow."

"Well…" Litrosh said hesitantly slightly taken aback by Natsu's sudden request. "I have to be debriefed by the Council at noon tomorrow, but time willing, I suppose I could have a practice match with you."

"What, why won't there be time?" Natsu asked, looking slightly affronted.

"Hey hothead, he just asked Levy to tell him more about his old master," Lucy sighed, exasperated by her friend's forgetfulness. "You know, the one that disappear-" She stopped herself and flushed with embarrassment.

"Lucy, it's fine," Litrosh reassured her. "I know he's gone- I accepted that a long time ago. No need to act like it didn't happen." His calm reaction surprised her- then again, he wouldn't be here ahead of his age group if he hadn't learned to control his emotions so well, she reasoned.

"Hey guys, we're here," Levy told them as she stopped in front of a set of doors.

"This your room, Levy?" Litrosh asked.

"No, I sleep in a different wing with the other Jedi," she replied. "This area is for apprentices."

"This one is Natsu's room," Lucy told him. "I'm a few doors down."

"Wait, then why did you come with us?" Litrosh asked the blue-haired consular. "You should be getting some rest- you worked just as hard as I did today, and Force knows I need some sleep."

"I just wanted to make sure you got settled in alright," she grinned lightly. "We were assigned partners for the day, after all. Wouldn't do to leave my job half-done."

Litrosh grinned back at her, feeling a small surge of camaraderie. "Thank you, Levy," he said gratefully. After a brief pause, he added, "All things considered, I'm glad of how today is ending."

"What makes you say that?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I suppose I'm used to other apprentices treating me differently," the boy shrugged. "And the masters are always paying extra attention because they consider me a prodigy… It's been nice to be treated as an equal comrade. I had forgotten what that felt like."

"Heh," Natsu chuckled. "We're not big on formalities in this group, so don't worry about it. You seem like a good guy to hang around, so that's good enough for me."

"Yeah," Lucy grinned in agreement. "To be honest, when I heard you were coming here, I expected another Gray."

"Nice to know that my reputation precedes me," Litrosh sighed. Suddenly letting out a large yawn, he murmured, "If it's all the same to you guys, I'd like to get some sleep."

"Oh yeah, sorry," Lucy said. "Goodnight, Litrosh."

"You as well, Lucy," he replied. Turning to Levy, he said, "Goodnight, Levy."

"Sleep well," she said as she turned around to walk away. Over her shoulder, she added, "Night, Lu. Natsu, don't wake him up too early, 'kay?"

"Yeah, yeah," the other boy said dismissively.

Lucy bade Natsu a good night before walking away, quickly disappearing into her room, even as Natsu turned around and opened the door to his own quarters.

The first thing Litrosh noticed was the heat- Gray hadn't been exaggerating by much, he realized, it was easily eighty or ninety degrees in the place. _This might take some adjusting to_ , he thought. Then again, he, like all other apprentices, had been trained to rest in virtually any environment, from extreme cold to boiling heat- he would be fine.

He followed Natsu in the room while the other apprentice pointed at various features of necessity- like Satele's living area, the place was devoid of just about anything that did not serve a strict function. "Bathroom's in there, leave my desk alone, you can take the bed, and I'll be here on the floor." He pointed to a thick carpet in the otherwise sparsely decorated room.

Litrosh quickly noticed the contents of the desk that Natsu had mentioned, intrigued to see several components that seemed as though they could become a pair of lightsabers, though he did not see any crystals that would power the devices.

"I thought we weren't allowed to construct our lightsabers until our trials were finished," he remarked, despite his rapidly increasing fatigue.

"My master has a different take on how the trials should proceed," Natsu said as he lay on the ground, hands behind his head. "Says that this is my test of patience."

"How so?" Litrosh asked as he removed his boots and outer tunic.

"I'm better at breakin' stuff than I am at building 'em," the other apprentice muttered sourly. Apparently it was a sore point for him.

"Sorry," Litrosh yawned. "I didn't mean to be rude." He lay back on the bed, adding, "Thank you for letting me use this, by the way."

"Don't mention it," Natsu said with a grin. "G'night, Litrosh."

"Goodnight," his temporary roommate said, asleep almost before he had finished the word.

* * *

 _The cold vacuum of space once again welcomed his fatigued mind. Just like in his previous dream, he was standing on what seemed to be a large asteroid, though this time he appeared to be alone. Looking down at himself, he was slightly surprised to see that he was wearing the tunic of a Jedi Knight, complete with a two-handed sentinel-styled lightsaber, just how he would have constructed it._

"Is this supposed to be some fragment of my future? _" he wondered aloud. "_ Seems to be a recurring theme. _"_

"That depends on your choices, _" a familiar voice said, startling Litrosh enough to make him jump back as he turned around to see Levy, of all people, standing not ten feet away from him. Seemingly unperturbed by his reaction, she added, "_ Many Jedi find their destinies in the stars. _"_

"You are… not Levy, _" Litrosh realized. "_ Who are you? _"_

"I am your future, Litrosh, that much is certain, _" the blue-haired girl replied, ignoring his question. "_ Our destinies are bound as one, for better or worse. _"_

 _Litrosh's eyes narrowed as he replied with a stiff tone, "_ The Jedi believe that the future is forever in motion. Nothing is set in stone, and anything that tells me otherwise is in contrast with my beliefs. _"_

"So that automatically makes it wrong? _" the vision of Levy challenged him. "_ Your beliefs determine the black and white of the galaxy? _" He paused, her words troubling him. Seeming to sense this, the girl pressed on, saying, "_ Faith without reason is simply madness. _"_

"There is no doubt, there is only duty, _" Litrosh retorted. "_ If I doubt the Code, then everything I have spent my life working towards has been for nothing. I will not yield to negative suggestions like these. _"_

"The truths of the galaxy are not so cut and dry as you would have them, _" the vision replied._

"Yes, they are, _" Litrosh retorted sharply. "_ Right is right, wrong is wrong. The Light is peace, the Dark is destruction. _"_

 _The apparition smiled a smile that sent chills down Litrosh's spine. "_ Tell me then, _" she nearly whispered as she walked towards him. He tried to back away, but found that his feet would not move for some reason. When she reached him, she lay small hand over his heart and asked, "_ Why do people wait for the dark of night to rest? _" When he failed to answer her, she added, "_ If the dark is truly so bad, why do people choose the night hours to sleep and recover from the things that they've been forced to do in the light? _"_

 _Litrosh's jaw clenched- he didn't know if the Light Side was testing him or if the Dark Side of the Force that was gathered on Tython was causing this, but it was testing his patience either way. "_ I will not yield my ideals, _" he said defiantly. "_ Nothing worth doing is hidden in the dark, but displayed for all to see in the light. _"_

 _Levy flinched as if struck, retreating a couple of paces while she looked at Litrosh with hollow eyes. "_ The Force is truly strong with you, _" she said, though he couldn't tell if she was disappointed or satisfied when she said it. "_ A great destiny awaits you, that much is certain, Litrosh. And I will be there to see it- one way or another. _"_

* * *

The boy woke up gasping, sweat running in rivulets down his face. He looked around, quickly noticing that the first rays of Tython's sunlight were streaming in through the window. Natsu was sound asleep, snoring obnoxiously from where he lay on the floor, seemingly ignorant of the fact that his temporary roommate had just suddenly arisen from what could have been described as a nightmare.

Litrosh wiped the sweat from his brow, and shook his head before pressing it into his knees while rocking back and forth, trying to assuage a headache. _By the stars, I wish I knew what was going on!_ He thought heavily. _Does everyone on Tython have dreams like that?_

He'd never had a problem with nightmares before, but ever since he had come near Tython, it seemed as though it was going to become a regular occurrence- something he hoped against. _Maybe my new master will be able to help me sort this out._

Moving quietly to the bathroom, he turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face, trying to dispel the grime from his brow. As he applied soap to his skin, he thought to himself, _Maybe the Force is warning me to stay away from Levy? Master Shan seemed to think that our connection was unusual, and if it is, perhaps further time spent with her would be unwise._ The thoughts troubled him, for if this truly was the case, it would mean alienating the first genuine friend he'd had in some time.

That notion alone was enough to make him do another double-take. _I call her 'friend' so easily, yet I have known her for less than a full planetary cycle,_ he thought as he scrubbed his face dry with a towel. _Perhaps Master Shan is right to warn me of such connections…_

Shaking his head tiredly, he muttered, "I hope to the stars that I'm just overthinking all of this." He suddenly realized that even though he had washed his face, the scent of the dead on his garments was not helping his thoughts clear up. He had been too tired to notice the day before, but now he realized that he was going to need a set of replacement clothing- his current wardrobe was covered in sweat, Flesh Raider blood, padawan blood, some dirt, and the outer tunic that he had tossed aside before going to sleep was undoubtedly even worse for the wear.

He turned on the shower as he tossed aside his shirt, hoping for a peaceful meditation while he washed away the memories of yesterday. _I suppose I'll have to ask Natsu if he has a spare set I can borrow_ , he thought absently as he stepped into the shower without bothering to check the temperature of the water.

A second later, Natsu was awoken by a loud yelp when Litrosh discovered just how hot his host he preferred to make the water. The salmon—haired apprentice Jedi bolted up into a sitting position, a large grin on his sleepy face. "Gotcha, Gray," he cackled softly as he rubbed his eyes.

He was about to go back to sleep when he heard a soft set of knocks at his door. "S'open," he mumbled just loud enough for whomever was on the other side to hear him. The metal door retracted to admit Lucy, who had a fresh set of laundry in her arms.

"Morning, Natsu," she said as she walked in. Looking at the empty bed, then noticing the sounds of the shower running, she asked, "Litrosh is early riser, huh?"

"Eh?" Natsu asked, his eyes opening wider as he looked around his room and finally realized that he had made a mistake with the shower. He shot to his feet and dashed into the other room, shouting, "Sorry, man! I didn't mean to leave it that hot! Well, not for you anyway!"

"Were you planning on inviting or kidnapping someone else to put in this heat trap?" Litrosh asked, slightly annoyed. He had managed to cool down the water to a more reasonable temperature, though his skin was going to be red for some time, he knew.

"Uh… no?" the other boy stammered unconvincingly.

Litrosh raised an eyebrow to convey his disbelief before deciding to let it go and ask his comrade, "Do you happen to have a spare tunic I could borrow? I only have what I brought with me, and those clothes are hardly appropriate to wear in their condition."

"Good thing I got ya covered!" Litrosh's other eyebrow went up as he recognized Lucy's voice. "You're a medium size, right?"

"Yes," he called back before looking at Natsu, somewhat surprised and confused. "Does Lucy usually come to your home at this hour?"

"Yeah, usually to wake me up since my alarms never work," Natsu shrugged casually.

"You mean cos you keep breaking 'em?" Lucy interjected. Without waiting for a response, she said, "I'll leave the clothes on the bed for Litrosh. I figured he could do with a spare set, so I went to see Master Horologium a little while ago."

Litrosh was once again touched by another apprentice's kindness. "Thank you, Lucy," he called out. "I'll be out soon."

"I'll give you some privacy," the blonde apprentice said, and it sounded to the boys like she was leaving. "Before I go, I just wanted to make sure that we're all still meeting for breakfast, right?"

"Sure," Litrosh answered before he remembered the vision he'd had. Mentally cursing himself, he decided to just go along with the course before him- it would be more than rude now if he suddenly decided to retract his acceptance of the invitation, or just not show up.

"Kay, I'll go find Levy and we'll meet you guys in the dining hall," Lucy replied just before she left, apparently unaware of the mental summersaults Litrosh was hurling himself through.

"Hope you're hungry, cos the food in the Temple is actually awesome," Nastu grinned brightly.

"Er, yes, food sounds good," Litrosh said, his voice shaking slightly with uncertainty. "Listen Natsu, I need some time alone to meditate- I know it's your room, but could you…?"

"Huh?" the salmon-haired boy asked. Then he seemed to remember where he was. "Whoops, sorry man!"

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, Litrosh found himself in the dining hall of the Jedi. It was a large, round room on the second floor of the building. Most of the tables were filled with Jedi and Padawans alike despite the early morning hour, though each group seemed to favor their own set of peers during their free time.

There were a few exceptions to this social setting, though Litrosh noticed it seemed to be mostly Padawans getting ready for their final trials that were seated amongst the fully-fledged Jedi. Case in point, he noticed Lucy waving to him and Natsu from the smaller table that she and Levy were occupying. The blonde apprentice had a half-eaten breakfast in front of her while her best friend had barely touched her food, focusing instead on the holo-document in front of her.

"Good morning," he said as he approached the table.

"Hey, Litrosh," Lucy said with a large smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, and thank you very much for the clothes," he answered. "I was wondering how I was going to get a new set.

"Master Horologium is the man to see about uniforms and all that," Levy said almost absently, still lost in her texts.

"I got the grub!" Natsu proclaimed as he approached with two steaming bowls of porridge. Sitting down, he said, "Hey Levy, Lucy."

"Good morning," they said in unison.

"Thanks for getting that," Litrosh said to the salmon-haired apprentice as they sat across from the girls.

"No problem," Natsu said before digging into his breakfast ravenously.

"You'd think that he hadn't eaten all week," Litrosh commented dryly.

"He's always like that," Lucy chuckled. "I can't blame him though. Mirajane- the Jedi that does the cooking- is the best at what she does. Her apprentice, Kinana, is also pretty good."

"Interesting," the newcomer mused. "Back on Naboo, it was regular staff that prepared the meals for us."

"Just Jedi here," Levy said as she closed her holo. Finally making eye contact with Litrosh, she flashed him a smile as she added, "Sorry about that, I was catching up on the readings I wanted to get done yesterday."

"Not a problem," Litrosh smiled back, though it was a bit uneasy for him. The memory of his vision the previous night still disturbed him greatly. "I would imagine a Jedi's time is better spent studying than satisfying the curiosity of an apprentice."

The girls raised eyebrows at him. "You doing okay?" Levy asked him.

"Not entirely," he admitted as he jabbed at the porridge in front of him, eyes downcast. "I've had a couple of vivid dreams since I came near Tython, neither of them pleasant ones." Looking back up at the others, he asked, "Is that a common occurrence on this planet? I've never had dreams like them before."

"Not that I'm aware of," Levy said with a slight frown, though she leaned closer over the table, obviously intrigued. "What happens in the dreams?"

Litrosh briefly hesitated, wondering how much he should tell them. He thought it might be better to talk to a Jedi about this, then remembered that Levy _was_ a fully qualified Jedi Consular- this kind of thing was right up her alley. "I've seen two people in these dreams," he finally said. "One I have no idea who it was. The other was someone… familiar to me."

"I'm guessing that the people alone aren't what disturbed you?" Lucy guessed.

"More what they had to say than anything, though the first one to appear was a Sith," he replied in a lowered tone. The others froze in place at that. Ever since the war thirty years ago, everyone had been on edge, waiting for the Empire to make the first hostile move. Just mentioning a Sith Lord among the younger generation of Jedi was enough to greatly startle them.

Natsu was the first one to find his voice after that. "So did ya have to fight him?" he asked.

"The dream ended as he attacked me," Litrosh muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Was that what troubled you, or was it something he said?" Levy asked, concern written on her face.

"Yes," the apprentice grinned wryly. "He offered me a chance to know my future- of course, I would have to give myself to the Dark Side if I wanted to see it."

"Why would a Sith Lord target you, though?" Lucy frowned. "You've never had to tangle with them, so there's no way you could have made any enemies with someone in the Empire, right?"

"No, but it could be Darth Adraas, now that I think about it," Litrosh mused aloud. "I suppose it's possible that he sees me as a target since my first master caused him a good deal of humiliation."

"Makes sense," Lucy muttered, her frown deepening slightly. "Sith are experts at looking for revenge, even when their reasons are a stretch."

"There's one other thing that struck me as odd," Litrosh said. "Just before I woke up, he said something that I can't make heads or tails out of."

"Wha's that?" Natsu asked through a mouthful of his porridge.

"He told me to 'kneel before the dragon of Zakuul," Litrosh replied. Looking directly at Levy, he asked, "Does that mean anything to you?"

"Never heard of it before," Levy said with a negative shake of her head. "I can do some digging though, see what turns up. I'm sure something will come out."

"I appreciate it," Litrosh said, finally turning his attention to breakfast. His eyes widened slightly in surprise as he took his first bite. "This really is very good," he said appreciatively.

"Told ya," Lucy grinned.

It was almost as though sampling the food reminded Litrosh of how hungry he was. He had eaten last night after getting to the temple, but those had been ration bars- packed with sustaining nutrients, but lacking any kind of flavor. He quickly dug into the bowl, eating with great gusto, almost rivalling Natsu's speed in finishing his breakfast.

"I might have to back for seconds," he grinned, feeling a little better with a hot meal in him.

"I'll do it!" Natsu said eagerly, snatching up the eating utensils. "That way you guys can get started with your boring stuff, then we can go fight." With that, he was gone.

"He really wants to fight me," Litrosh muttered, bewildered by his peer's eagerness.

"His enthusiasm and persistence are commendable, at least," Levy said. Then, wishing to get back to the original topic, she asked, "What about the second dream? What happened then?"

"Like I said, someone I know appeared this time," Litrosh replied, his frown returning. "They tried to convince me that some of my beliefs are flawed. While they didn't come right out and say it, they seemed to imply that the Light Side of the Force is not the path to follow."

"Strange," Levy murmured. "Has this person ever shown any signs of doubt in the Jedi Code?"

"Not as far I know," Litrosh said with a prompt shake of his head. Of course, he hadn't known Levy for long, but one, he was deliberately keeping that part of his dream to himself, as not to frighten the others. Two, when he had communed in the Force with the Jedi, he had sensed no trace of darkness in her spirit. So according to what he knew, he _was_ telling the truth.

"Who was the second person?" Levy asked.

 _Blast,_ the young man thought. He didn't want to lie directly to them, but again, he wanted to avoid startling them. "I'd rather not say," he finally admitted. "They are… a friend of mine, and I don't want them to fall under suspicion because of a bad dream."

"Litrosh, dreams are sometimes visions from the Force," Levy said seriously. "This could be a warning."

"I know, which is why I'll keep an eye on them myself," Litrosh said calmly. "Right now, all I have is a dream. That's hardly enough cause to put them under scrutiny from the masters."

"He makes a good point," Lucy agreed. "The masters are always saying that the future is in motion, and nothing is certain. Also, it could just be a bad dream."

Levy nodded, though it was with reluctance. "Just… promise you'll talk to your new master about this, okay?" she said. "Or us, if it happens again."

"I will," Litrosh agreed quickly. "You have my word." After a small pause, he decided that he'd rather put the subject behind them, so he asked, "What did you manage to find on my old master?"

"Oh yeah, that's why we met up here in the first place," Levy realized, smacking herself on the forehead with embarrassment. Pulling up her holo-documents again, she said, "I wasn't able to find much more than what we already knew, just some records of his involvement in the war against the Empire. Sorry I couldn't dig up anything else…"

"It's no problem," Litrosh said with a slight smile, waving the matter aside. "You didn't have to do any of that in the first place, so you have my gratitude for even trying." Inside, he was just a bit disappointed, but it wasn't anything of great consequence. An idle curiosity, nothing more.

However, he was struck by another thought to keep the conversation going. "Why don't you tell me about your masters?" he suggested as Natsu came back with more food. _Perfect,_ he thought. Now he could listen and eat at the same time.

"Well, my master is Leeha Narezz," Levy said, apparently volunteering to go first. "She also survived the war against the Empire, but she wasn't there during the Sacking of Courascant. She and I both have an affinity for mechanics- she taught me everything I know about building machines."

"What kind of machines?" Litrosh was curious.

"Well, her favorite creations are a trio of medical droids that she calls the Meedees," Levy answered. "She also likes teaching them everything she can about the Force and Jedi philosophy in general." With a slightly wry grin, she added, "She's got a theory about droids, but it's not too popular among the Jedi."

"What's that?" Litrosh was even more intrigued now.

"Master Narezz believes that droids can become Force-sensitive," Lucy answered with a grin. "Sounds crazy, but I'm not exactly opposed to the idea myself."

"Interesting," Litrosh mused aloud, surprising them both when he didn't outright reject the idea. "What's her basis for this theory?" After he spoke, he went to eat his second helping of breakfast.

"Well, you know how in some cases, droids develop personalities of their own if they go long enough without a memory wipe?" Levy asked. When Litrosh nodded his understanding, she continued, "Those droids also usually live past their 'life expectancy', so that got my master to thinking that maybe the Force has a hand in keeping these droids active for longer than we might expect."

"Hmm…" Litrosh mused through a mouthful of food. _It's certainly not impossible,_ he thought. _Though I can see why most Jedi would reject the idea._ Swallowing, he said, "An unorthodox thought, but I can see where she might get that. Maybe someday I can meet her in person to discuss the particulars."

"I'm sure she'd like that," Levy grinned brightly. "It's not every day that she gets to meet somebody not immediately ready to shoot down her theory."

"Of course," Litrosh nodded with a small smile of his own. "Though you did mention that you also have an affinity for mechanics. Do you specialize in something different?"

"Heck yeah she does!" Lucy grinned. "Levy here is the best in the Order at repairing and tuning lightsabers. Even Master Caeden- he's on the council- came to ask her for help on improving his sabers' design."

"Wow," Litrosh said, suitably impressed, though Levy seemed embarrassed by the praise. "Perhaps I'll have to ask for your help when I design my own saber."

"Nope!" Levy said cheerfully, surprising Litrosh. Seeing his look of confusion, she said, "I help people with their lightsabers _after_ they've built it themselves and can get it working. Each Jedi's lightsaber is something that they should make on their own with the Force guiding them. I don't wanna interfere with that process."

"She won't budge on this one," Natsu said sourly. "I asked her to help me with mine, but she won't!" He pouted a little bit, which made the girls laugh.

"Hey, I _especially_ can't help you since Master Makarov said it was part of your patience trial," Levy giggled. "You're on your own, buster."

"Rrgh…" Natsu grumbled.

"Master Makarov sits on the Council, right?" Litrosh asked. "What is he like?"

"One of a kind," Lucy grinned. "He's pretty strict with Natsu since he tends to get out of hand, but he loves teaching younglings in his spare time. Treats them like they're his own children. Though I've never seen him in action myself, apparently he's one of the Order's best Jedi in combat, even at his current age."

"How old is he?" Litrosh asked.

"Eighty, I think," Natsu answered this time. "A lot of the kids he teaches call him 'Gramps', but he hates it when I do that."

"Actually, Litrosh, you and Master Makarov have something in common," Lucy said, her eyes lighting up as she realized something."

"Hmm?"

"He was actually the first student trained by your old master, Precht, after he became a Jedi Knight," she told him.

"Hey, maybe Gramps can tell you more about your old teacher," Natsu said, his eyes lighting up excitedly. "I'll bet he's got all kinds of cool stories to tell!"

"Perhaps," Litrosh nodded- the idea was appealing to him. He filed the thought away for later before turning to Lucy and asking, "And you, Lucy? Who is your master?"

"My master is Syo Bakarn; he's also on the Council," Lucy replied.

"The Quiet Healer?" Litrosh asked with surprise. "The Wise Son of Corellia?"

"That's him," Lucy grinned. "He's the kindest and wisest Jedi I've ever met. He used to be a real pro on the battlefield, but he decided that he didn't have the stomach for it. So, he changed to focus his efforts on healing others. He and Master Grandeeney- the Jedi that took care of you at the infirmary yesterday- are pretty good friends. Her apprentice, Wendy, takes lessons with me sometimes since she's becoming quite the healing prodigy."

"So is healing your specialty, Lucy?" Litrosh guessed.

"Actually, no," Lucy said with a shake of her head. "I specialize in using the Force for more subtle purposes."

"Lu prefers to avoid fighting by using the Force to pacify hostiles," Levy explained. "She's also really good at moving undetected by using the Force to erase her presence from other people's senses."

"You'll have to show me some of those techniques sometime," Litrosh said, impressed again. "I'd like to be able to have that kind of advantage if I ever have to go behind enemy lines."

"Sure, if we ever have time," Lucy nodded. Looking around, she said, "Seems like the Flesh Raiders' attack has stirred up the Order quite a bit, though. Not sure how much free time we're going to have in the days to come."

"No war lasts forever," Litrosh shrugged. "If we can even call this a war."

"If there are more Dark Jedi than the one we fought, it might turn into one," Levy said with a frown.

 _Now there's a sobering thought,_ Litrosh said silently as he finished the last of his breakfast, his stomach finally satisfied. _We can't really afford another war right now- not with the threat of the Empire hanging over us, not to mention the fact that we're still trying to build up our numbers._

"Okay, can we go fight now?" Natsu demanded. "I can't take much more of this depressing crap. I need to get up and do something."

"Sure," Litrosh sighed, resigned to the fact that Natsu was not going to stop pressing the subject matter anytime soon. "I'll oblige you with a match- but only one match. I have to present myself to the council at noon."

"I do too," Levy remarked. "I guess they want a full account of what happened yesterday."

"Makes sense," he said. "I suppose we'll leave you to your studies then?"

"You kiddin'?" Lucy grinned. "I'm gonna watch this match! It's been a while since Natsu's had a new opponent, and since Levy told me you're pretty good with a vibroblade, I'm even more interested to see which one of you is better."

Litrosh eyed her suspiciously as they all rose from the table, asking, "Is there some kind of wager going on that I don't know about?"

"Wha- no!" Lucy sputtered. "Just curious to see, that's all."

"Maybe we should make a bet on this," Levy chuckled.

"I thought we discouraged gambling," Litrosh frowned as they made their way through the dining hall.

"Discouraged, not forbidden," Natsu grinned.

 _Why do I get the feeling that I've made a horrible mistake?_ Litrosh wondered.

* * *

Five minutes later found the group standing before a Jedi Master named Liam Dentiri, who was in charge of the training grounds that lay on the outside of the temple. He was a middle-aged man with deeply tanned skin and dark eyes that regarded Litrosh with interest. Dentiri worked closely with the Order's Battle-master because he was in charge of teaching padawans how to lead troops in battle, so it was only natural that he take an interest in Litrosh and his battle capabilities.

"So, what's the deal today, Dragneel?" he asked Natsu shortly, turning to the boy.

"Need one of the dueling grounds for a match against Light here," he replied with a toothy grin, missing the annoyed look that the other boy shot him for getting his name wrong.

"Did you push him into this?" the Jedi demanded, his eyes narrowing.

"I agreed to the match of my own accord, Master," Litrosh said before Natsu could reply. "As an aspiring master swordsman myself, I'd like to see how I compare to such an alleged warrior."

"Much as I don't want to admit it, there's nothing 'alleged' about Dragneel's skill in combat," Dentiri said heavily. "Makarov knows how to train a warrior, I'll give him that."

"Oh, is Natsu a student in your course?" Litrosh asked curiously.

"Hah!" the master scoffed. "Do you honestly think that Dragneel could lead a team of soldiers, much less an army?"

Litrosh shrugged in response; the answer to that was fairly self-explanatory. However, Natsu seemed to get riled up at the thinly veiled insult. "I can lead just fine!" he protested. "People just have a hard time keeping up with me!"

"Part of leadership involves recognizing your crew's capabilities and limitations, not just your own," his friend said evenly. "Seems to me as though your mentality is more suited for that of a lone wolf fighter."

"Can't argue with you there," Lucy grinned. "Natsu's pretty hot stuff when it comes to combat, just not so much when it comes to making a plan."

"Hey!" Natsu cried, offended that his closest friend was agreeing with someone else against him. "Have some faith in me, would ya?!"

"We both have faith in you, Natsu," Levy said with a gentle smile. "Just in a different way than you want, I guess."

"Rrgh…" the pinkette sulked.

"So, may we use these grounds, Master Dentiri?" Litrosh asked the overseeing Jedi respectfully. "We won't be too long- I hope."

"I have a class of padawans coming to use lot five in an hour," Liam replied as he indicated an empty dirt area. It was situated by a small river, where one could see some consulars meditating in the cool water further upstream. "Until then, feel free to use the space- just don't go messing with the training drones, you hear?" He gave Natsu a pointed look, to which the young man grinned crookedly.

Deciding to avoid another exchange between the two of them, Litrosh bowed his head in a gesture of gratitude and respect to the older warrior before walking toward the designated spot. The others swiftly followed him, but he waited until they were out of earshot of the teacher to ask, "Why does Master Dentiri dislike Natsu so much?"

"I trashed all his drones by myself," the other boy laughed merrily.

Raising an eyebrow at Levy, Litrosh waited for a more detailed explanation. "The point of the drones is to practice team maneuvers against multiple opponents in the field," she explained. "Natsu here went and activated all of them at once, without telling anyone what he was up to. I think that secretly, Master Dentiri was more upset that Natsu beat all of his droids without needing a team to help him than the fact that he used the equipment without permission."

"He's rather proud of his creations, then?" Litrosh guessed.

"He and Master Narezz shared similar interests," Levy nodded as she answered. "Though she preferred to pursue the medicinal applications of droids, he prefers the combative path. Still, they both put a lot of effort into their work."

"Ha!" Natsu laughed as they reached the edge of the training area. "Can't have been that much effort- those things hardly put up a- gack!" He collapsed in the dirt as Lucy delivered a chopping motion to his neck, rendering him briefly insensate.

"Moron," she huffed, annoyed. "I think he completely missed the Jedi etiquette and diplomacy program sometimes."

Litrosh looked a little askance at the two friends and asked aside to his blue-haired companion, "Is Natsu _actually_ any good in a fight? He should have dodged that."

"He is- Lucy just knows how to shut him better than anyone, except maybe Makarov." She laughed a bit as she spoke. "He'll be up in a minute- better use the time to pick out a practice blade." She gestured to a small rack that held a few different types of sparring gear. There were a few blades of varying length, and a couple of saberstaves that were held on the small armory.

Litrosh's eyes scanned his options briefly before going for a two-handed weapon with a three-foot blade. Testing the weight briefly, he nodded and muttered, "This'll do nicely."

"You prefer longer reach, huh?" Levy asked as she eyed the weapon closely. "The vibrosword I lent you was a little shorter than this, both in blade and handle."

"I've practiced with a few different blade types, but I've always felt it best that I be able to reach my opponent before he can reach me," Litrosh replied quietly, his brow furrowing in concentration as he wondered what kind of weapons Natsu would pick.

The others had mentioned that he had mastered the Juyo form of combat, with was typically a dual-wielders' style. Not to mention that he'd seen the beginnings of twin lightsabers in Natsu's room the previous night, so it seemed reasonable to assume that he would try to use the twin saber style. _But will he use two true swords, or a single blade assisted with a shoto?_ The blue-eyed apprentice wondered as Natsu shot to his feet, rubbing his head as he was forced to listen to a lecture from Lucy. His frown deepened as he continued, _Maybe he'll use two short swords? I also need to know which hand he favors… Will he use a reverse grip on one, or maybe both of the swords?_

The combination of weapons and the way that Natsu held them would be crucial to how Litrosh could plan his defense. Litrosh had dueled against all sorts of styles, so he had a solid pattern to fall back on for each combination that he came across- he just needed to know which one. Back on Naboo, he would have already known who he was fighting and exactly how to counter them, but out here on Tython, everyone was new and unfamiliar.

 _This will be a breath of fresh air if nothing else,_ Litrosh thought as he stepped away from the armory to let Natsu by, who was grinning widely at him. _Monotony breeds stagnation, and stagnation, complacency. Both things are anathema to Jedi._ He stopped walking when he reached the opposite side of the dirt area, with the river running behind his back.

"Good luck, Litrosh!" Levy said with an encouraging smile. Giving her a small nod and smile in return, the young apprentice returned his attention to Natsu, who had taken up a ready stance, weapons in hand.

Litrosh quickly took in everything about his opponent in the span of a half-second. _Standard Juyo form, twin blades, both full-length, and held in standard position._ Looking at Natsu's face, he added, _Looks relaxed, carefree almost, but not in a negligent way- he's holding those weapons as if he knows how to use them. He's not afraid in the slightest._

The last part was new for the boy with dark hair and blue eyes. Most matches he'd had back on Naboo were had with people that had fought him before, their eyes filled with apprehension at what was sure to be a new set of bruises. Natsu's eyes showed no traces of that fear. _His master might make a Jedi out of him yet,_ he thought with a wry grin as he gave Natsu the Jedi fencers' salute, then settled into a Soresu stance, the defensive form he'd mastered- and favored to a degree.

 _I'm facing a virtually unknown element in Natsu,_ he reasoned to himself. _All I know about his style is that it's fast, aggressive, and rather unpredictable. My best bet is my defense form- I'm nowhere near mastering the Ataru, and even if I had, it'd be a close thing to match his dexterity. I'll have to try and wear him down…_

"Wait just one moment!" an elderly, cracking voice rang out before the two of them could begin. They group turned to see the Jedi Sage Grandeeney approaching with her small apprentice, Wendy in tow. Once she was close enough not to shout, the elderly Jedi frowned at them all with piercing blue eyes and panted, "Don't you all know… you need a proper Jedi… to oversee unscheduled matches?"

"Er, Master?" Levy laughed half-heartedly. "I am a Jedi. I could've refereed the match."

"Mmm?" Grandeeney cocked her head at the small Consular. "Oh, did you pass your trials so soon, dear?"

Levy let out a small groan of disappointment as she let her head drop. "Yes, Master… I passed two weeks ago."

"Oh, then I'll be happy to let you referee the match," the elder Jedi smiled warmly, apparently unaware of the embarrassment she had caused her younger peer. "But if it's all the same to you, we'll stay and watch. If one of you are injured, it will do Wendy some good to practice her healing skills."

"Are you essentially using us as practice for your apprentice?" Litrosh asked, slightly offended.

"Ah, don't sweat the details," Natsu grinned as he winked at the younger apprentice, who smiled back brightly at him. "Wendy's done this a few times now, and she's really good at it!" Litrosh cocked his head at the girl and reached out with the Force to sense her potential, surprised when he encountered a sensation akin to a bright light that is shone directly in one's eyes. He recoiled instinctively from the strength of the Force signature.

She seemed to notice his attention, because she looked curiously at him before waving shyly with a small smile. "H-Hi," she said, her voice soft, even for a child.

"Hello there," he replied, a slight tremble in his voice. "The Force is strong with your apprentice," he said, his eyes a little wide as he looked up at her master.

"Ah, so you noticed her potential?" Grandeeney asked with a raised brow. "So quickly, too… I thought you were an interesting one when you were brought to me for healing yesterday, but this is a further surprise."

"Er-hem!" Natsu said loudly. "Can we fight now?!" He looked a little put off, Litrosh thought as he resumed his own stance.

"Sorry about that, Natsu," he apologized. To Levy, he said, "I'm ready."

"Cool," she said as she strode over to the side of the arena, an equal distance away from the two of them. "I want a good, clean fight. The losing conditions are as follows; being knocked out of the area, being rendered unconscious, or conceding the match. No head strikes, and no Force blasts- Natsu."

"I only did that once!" he shouted in protest, but he was ignored.

"If you're both good to go, then the match can begin… now!"


End file.
